Method and apparatus for attaching buttons

ABSTRACT

The button attaching kit or apparatus comprises a length of high tensile strength tie line and a tie line anchor. The tie line desirably comprises a relatively large cross section monofilament of extended and drawn thermoplastic having a head at one end and a point at the other. The anchor has a series of grip holes through which the tie line is laced to fasten an end thereto. The anchor also has a guide hole through which a single loop of the tie line extends through a garment and through the holes in a button. The kit replaces needle and thread and becomes an integral part of the anchored button.

[ Mar. 12, 1974 METHOD AND APPARATUS F OR ATTACK-KING BUTTONS [76] Inventor: John R. Kapitan, 405 Kipling St.,

Lakewood, Colo. 80226 [22] Filed: June 12, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 261,887

[52] US. Cl 24/90 TA, 223/102 [51] Int. Cl A4141) 1/18 [58] Field of Search 2/265, 266; 223/102, 104, 223/1; 24/90 TA, 90 TS Great Britain... 24/90 TA Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Whee1er, Morsell, House & Wheeler [5 7] ABSTRACT The button attaching kit or apparatus comprises a length of high tensile strength tie line and a tie line anchor. The tie line desirably comprises a relatively large cross section mono-filament of extended and drawn thermoplastic having a head at one end and a point at the other. The anchor has a series of grip holes through which the tie line is laced to fasten an end thereto. The anchor also has a guide hole through which a single loop of the tie line extends through a garment and through the holes in a button. The kit replaces needle and thread and becomes an integral part of the anchored button.

3 Claims, 20 Drawing Figures METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A'I'llAClI-IIIIN BUTTONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The conventional sewing on of buttons to fabrics and articles of clothing is time consuming and tedious attaching process involving the use of needle and thread for tailors, seamstresses, housewives and others not equipped with factory volume-production machinery specially designed for this purpose. To sew on a button, it is usually necessary to double thread a needle; placing the button on the garment; starting the sewing process with a back-stitch on the underside of the garment; bringing the needle up through one hole of the button and down through the second hole repeatedly until the button is taut and secure; winding thread around threads between button and fabric to make a stem which will allow room for the buttonhole under the button; and finishing off by bringing the needle to the under side of the garment and fastening the thread with several overcast stitches and cutting it off. Two main types of buttons are used, those perforated with sewing holes and those furnished with molded-in studs or metal shanks. The usually circular buttons are made of a multiplicity of materials such as plastic, metal, wood, ceramics, paste, fabric-covered disks, and glass, usually for the purpose of fastening one part of a garment to another by passing it through a buttonhole, slit or loop, but often for adornment and ornament. To obtain additional strength and to help make stitches inconspicuous, a small button is sometimes sewn on the underside of the fabric by taking stitches through holes in both top and bottom buttons at the same time. The conventional sewing on of buttons with needle and thread is costly from the standpoint of labor and time required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention only two kit parts are needed to attach a button. Needle and thread, etc., are eliminated. The kit parts consist of a short length of high tensile strength tie line and a tie linean- .chor which has a series of grip holes through which the tie line is laced to fasten an end thereto. The anchor has a guide hole through which a single loop of the tie line extends through the garment and through holes in the button. The kit becomes part of the anchored button. The tie line is typically a mono-filament or relatively large cross section extruded and stretched thermoplastic of suitable thickness and low elongation relative to its high tensile strength.

It is an object of this invention to provide in such a kit a stemmed anchor perforated with several holes for use in securing the mono-filament tie line to the button and to the fabric base. One grip hole is for securing the stop or head end of the tie line to the anchor, a guide hole is for drawing in, centering, and tightening the line on the underside of the fabric, and additional grip holes are for use in connecting and locking the free end of the tie line to the anchor.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fas tening method to be used in conjunction with the mono-filament tie line and anchor by which a button can be expeditiously, securely, and permanently attached to natural or synthetic fabric materials and which method will enable persons with no sewing training or experience to perform the operation of attaching a button.

It is another object of this invention to provide a satisfactory and permanent means for emergency attaching of buttons by campers, boy scouts, students, military personnel, stewardesses, bachelors, and other individuals who encounter difficulty in having buttons sewn on articles of clothing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a means for fastening buttons to fabric materials whereby the fabric is not punctured repeatedly and thereby possibly weakened in the process of attaching a button, as is the case in the conventional needle and thread method, by drawing a single mono-filament tie line once for each end of the line through the interlacing strands of the fabric material base and which attaching means will hold the button securely to the material base without loosening or rupture as the result of hard, recurring pulling stresses.

The aforementioned and further objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly perceived from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and the related drawings appended thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of anchor.

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a tie line embodying the invention.

FIGS. 4 through 7 are schematic views illustrating the various steps in lacing the tie line through the holes in the anchor of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken through a button attached to a garment in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the method of attaching a button in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 is another diagrammatic view illustrating the method of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the undersurface of a garment to which a button is attached in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view of the upper surface of a garment to which a button is attached in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a modified embodiment of anchor.

FIG. 14 is a cross section taken along the line 14-14 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the anchor of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of anchor. This figure also illustrates one step in lacing the tie line through holes therein.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 16, but showing another stage of lacing the tie line through the anchor.

FIG. 1% is another perspective view similar to FIG. 16, but showing a subsequent stage in the lacing of the tie line through the anchor.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating the anchor of FIG. 16 with its flap folded into clamping engagement with the laced tie line.

FIG. 20 is a cross section taken through a button attached to a garment by means of a tie line and an anchor of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16-19.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The tie line 1 shown separately in FIG. 3 is desirably of the composition and structure shown in US. Pat. No. 3,057,040. It is desirably formed with a head 3 and a pointed end 2 and is about five inches long.

The mono-filament tie line shown in FIG. 3 replaces both needle and thread when used according to the invention for attaching a conventional button to a fabric base or an article of clothing. Several different monofilaments may be used in the construction of the tie line 1, but it is preferred that the nylon mono-filament sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,040, for use as a fishing line be utilized for the tie line of this invention. The du Pont mono-filament has a higher tensile strength and lower stretch than that of other known commercial mono-filaments, a low stiffness characterized by a desirable limpness, and an extremely high knot strength. A useful range of monofilament diameters or calipers in this invention is from about 0.010 to about 0.025 inches (IO-25 mils). The length of the tie line 1 may also vary, to suit different applications, averaging about inches. One end of the tie line 1 is cut at a diagonal to provide a sharp tip 2 for facilitating the lines entry into the base material. In almost all cases, the liness sharp tip 2 will not pierce the fabric material with a tearing effect, but will pass between and glide through the interlacing strands of yarn forming the woven fabric base. The other end of the tie line is thermo-formed into a stop or knot 3 to stop the line when it is drawn into one of the anchor grip holes 5. The tie line stop 3 secures one end of the tie line 1 to the anchor 4. In another embodiment, the monofilament tie line can be provided with a double overhand knot tied at one end to act as a stop 3.

One form of button anchor 4 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprises a stand-off body or shank 7 for a skirt 12 in which a series of substantially equally spaced grip holes 5 are formed. The shank 7 has a central guide hole 6.

The anchor 4 and tie line 1 comprise the complete button attacher or kit of this invention. In the preferred embodiment, the anchor 4 has six grip holes 5 positioned along its periphery and one guide hole in the center 6. The skirt 12 is desirably concave, as shown in FIG. 2. This shape provides an easier work area for drawing the mono-filament line through the peripheral grip holes. The stem 7 on the anchor 4 has a flat bottom and because of its smaller diameter permits easier manipulation of the button which abuts it over the fabric base.

The anchor 4 may be constructed of aluminum, brass, or any other hard and rigid material having moisture resistance and high physical strength, for example, a phenolic thermoset plastic. The anchor should be kept to the minimum length, width, and thickness consistent with the button applications involved, from large to small. In attaching medium-size buttons, a preferred set of dimensions for the anchor would be: cap diameter inches, stem diameter 3/16 inches, over-all height of cap A: inches, and all holes l/ 16 inches in diameter.

The centering or guide hole 6 acts as a guide for securing and tightening both ends of the tie line 1 as they are drawn through the anchor 4 on the under side of the fabric base. The six grip holes 5 along the periphery of the anchor 4 are used for connecting both ends of the tie line 1.

To attach a conventional button 8 to a garment 9, as shown in FIG. 8, the following method is used, as is illustrated in FIGS. 4-7, 9 and 10.

First, the tie line 1 is laced through one of the guide holes 5 to seat its head 3 against the undersurface of the anchor skirt l2 and to thread the tie line through the central guide hole 6, as shown in FIG. 4. The tie line is then manipulated, as shown in FIG. 9, to pierce the pointed end 2 of the tie line through an appropriate button site on the garment 9. The point 2 of the tie line is then threaded through the usual thread holes 13 of the buttonB, as shown in FIG. 10 and the point of the tie line is again pierced through the garment 9 and through the central guide hole 6 in the anchor 4, as illustrated in FIG. 10, and then pulled taut to snug the button 8 into its position opposite the anchor and with the button and anchor at opposite sides of the garment 9 as shown in FIG. 8.

To fasten the tie line to the anchor without the need for any tools, etc., the point 2 of the tie line is then laced successively through several of the guide holes 5 of the anchor as illustrated in the successive views of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The bending of the plastic tie line in and out of the successive grip holes 5 will frictionally bind the tie line against the edges of the holes and produce a snubbing effect of the tie line with respect to the hole edges. Some local flow of the plastic tie line at its points of contact with the hole edges may also occur, thus locking the tie line to the anchor. Excess length of tie line is then simply cut off adjacent the last grip hole through which it passes, as shown in FIG. 7. As knot strength ordinarily drops off as the number of turns decreases, the use of all grip holes provided in the anchor 4 is recommended. The full five turns of the line will thus provide a permanent non-slip connection between tie line 1 and anchor 4.

Accordingly, the button 8 is attached to the garment with a single loop of very tough and strong tie line. The respective undersurface and upper surface of the garment are illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12.

As shown in FIG. 8, the shank 7 of the anchor serves as a spacer to space the skirt 12 of the anchor from the undersurface of the garment 9, thus to give ample room in and about the flange 12 for lacing the tie line 1 through the grip holes 5.

A modified form of anchor is shown in FIGS. 13-15. The anchor 14 has a skirt 15 which flares away from a crown 16 in which the guide hole 17 is formed centrally. The grip holes 18 are formed in the skirt 15. The dished shape of the anchor 14 produces the same spacing and shank effect as the shank 7 of the embodiment of anchor shown in FIG. 2.

Another modified embodiment of anchor is shown in FIGS. 16-20. In this embodiment the anchor 20 consists of multiple mutually hinged leaves 21, 22, 23 of a bendable metal strip. The strip may be constructed of aluminum, zinc alloyed with copper, pure brass, or

some other metal, and should be kept to the minimum length, width, thickness, and temper consistent with the types of button applications involved, from small to large. In the preferred embodiment, the strip is formed out of inch aluminum tape 0.018 inches thick. Desirably, a quarter hard temper is chosen to provide a ductile material suitable for bending flat upon itself in any direction without cracking. Leaf 21 is folded on hinge line 24 flat against the undersurface of leaf 22 and acts as a reinforcement. Leaf 23 is originally bent at a right angle to leaf on the hing or fold line 25. Leaf 23 functions as a closure flap.

In this embodiment the leaves 21, 22 are provided with registering guide holes 26 and registering grip holes 27. Three additional grip holes 28 are formed through the fold line 25. Leaf 23 is also desirably provided with a groove 31 extending outwardly from the middle grip hole 28.

In this embodiment the anchor 20 is used in a fashion very similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. The mono-filament tie line l is first laced upwardly through holes 27 to seat the head 3 therebeneath and the line is then threaded through the guide hole 26, as shown in FIG. 16, through the garment and is looped through the thread holes of button 8 in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 10. When the button 8 is seated on the garment as hereinafter described, the line 1 is then laced successively through the various grip holes 28 as illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, to frictionally fasten the tie line to the anchor 20. Thereupon leaf 23 of the plate is bent or folded over, as shown in FIG. 19, to clamp it against the tie line portions captured between leaves 22 and 23. The tie line is then snipped off at 32. The attached button 8 is shown in FIG. 20.

I claim:

ll. Button attaching apparatus comprising a length of tie line and a tie line anchor, said anchor having a series of grip holes through which the tie line is laced to fasten an end thereof and a guide hole through which a single loop of the tie line extends through a garment and through holes in a button, said anchor comprising a bendable strip having foldable line clamping leaves.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the leaves are hinged on a fold line, some of said grip holes being disposed on said fold line.

Y 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said anchor is made of metal. 

1. Button attaching apparatus comprising a length of tie line and a tie line anchor, said anchor having a series of grip holes through which the tie line is laced to fasten an end thereof and a guide hole through which a single loop of the tie line extends through a garment and through holes in a button, said anchor comprising a bendable strip having foldable line clamping leaves.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the leaves are hinged on a fold line, some of said grip holes being disposed on said fold line.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said anchor is made of metal. 